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Space X Launch - Who’s Watching

Damn that weather didnt look good all day...it was such a small window to get it in and weather didnt cooperate.
 
Jmk202 said:
so disappointing... :(
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Yep, but completely understandable considering the stakes. And they’ve got another two windows this weekend.
 
YukonLiving said:
Yep, but completely understandable considering the stakes. And they’ve got another two windows this weekend.
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Yeah, for sure. If it was my ass strapped to the giant rocket I'd want no question!
 
Jmk202 said:
Yeah, for sure. If it was my ass strapped to the giant rocket I'd want no question!
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Haha! They actually were too... I chuckled when one of the astronauts tugged at their straps.
 
gmiller598 said:
I watch the Discovery Channel's documentary last night after Deadliest Catch and I've had it on the Discovery Channel ever since the coverage started today at 2:00. I was always fascinated by the space shuttle as a kid so this is really cool to watch and a nice distraction from everything else.
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I've worked for three companies that supplied materials to the Space Shuttle, including the adhesive that glued the thermal tiles to the orbiter, and the cargo bay liner. The most interesting was a startup that supplied the key ingredient to all four in-orbit repair capabilities that were required to allow the fleet to return to flight after Columbia. I was in charge of the "plant" that we built from parts from chemical boneyards and Home Depot. Astronauts are incredibly brave, because they have seen where and how some of this stuff is made, and they still strap on the spacecraft and fly. Some of the highest technology is made by the most primitive of processes.
 
On to saturday!
 
Reframmellator said:
Astronauts are incredibly brave, because they have seen where and how some of this stuff is made, and they still strap on the spacecraft and fly.
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Absolutely. I have the utmost respect for them...
 
Reframmellator said:
I've worked for three companies that supplied materials to the Space Shuttle, including the adhesive that glued the thermal tiles to the orbiter, and the cargo bay liner. The most interesting was a startup that supplied the key ingredient to all four in-orbit repair capabilities that were required to allow the fleet to return to flight after Columbia. I was in charge of the "plant" that we built from parts from chemical boneyards and Home Depot. Astronauts are incredibly brave, because they have seen where and how some of this stuff is made, and they still strap on the spacecraft and fly. Some of the highest technology is made by the most primitive of processes.
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I remember that NASA was in denial for a quite a while that a simple piece of foam could have caused so much damage. They didn't believe it until they actually tested shooting a piece at the tiles and saw what happened.
 
Was really hoping to see it go off, they have a much better window on Saturday though.
 
YukonLiving said:
Yep, but completely understandable considering the stakes. And they’ve got another two windows this weekend.
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i want perfection on each account. If anything they did another dry perfect trial run. practice makes perfect and now everyone knows the process and feel in a "real life" scenario. Not saying the tests arent, but I am sure it was a great run to have under their belt once more.
 
YukonLiving said:
Absolutely. I have the utmost respect for them...
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It takes a certain breed to begin with. Many of our astronauts were former military test pilots.
 
Former or current Military Pilots. Gotta be willing to ride a untamed rocket to hopefully where our re going. The fact that they can land their rockets on a postage stamp and reuse them is phenomenal
 
Reframmellator said:
Astronauts are incredibly brave, because they have seen where and how some of this stuff is made, and they still strap on the spacecraft and fly.
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It's a very sobering feeling to be up in space and realize that one's safety factor was determined by the lowest bidder on a government contract. - Alan Shepard
 
Bernoulli said:
It takes a certain breed to begin with. Many of our astronauts were former military test pilots.
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Former or current test pilots. I can say that for certainty at least with the Canadian program.
 
My son is finishing his Aerospace Engineering degree this coming year at Purdue (just two classes left), so we were both interested. SpaceX is his dream job. We will tune in on Saturday to see the launch.
 
gmiller598 said:
I remember that NASA was in denial for a quite a while that a simple piece of foam could have caused so much damage. They didn't believe it until they actually tested shooting a piece at the tiles and saw what happened.
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I was in a room with five other people when we watched video of the testing at Southwest Research Institute. There was a collective gasp, then silence. Here is an interssing article that does a pretty good job of describing the challenges of in-orbit repair. For one - imagine trying to spackle a crack to almost perfection in a pressurized spacesuit.

www.space.com

The Shuttle Tiles: In-Space Repairs Become an Impossible Mission

Michael Brieden bore bad news. There was no chance NASA, by return to flight, could develop a way to repair the type of severe damage that doomed Columbia and its crew.
www.space.com www.space.com
 
Reframmellator said:
. Astronauts are incredibly brave, because they have seen where and how some of this stuff is made, and they still strap on the spacecraft and fly. Some of the highest technology is made by the most primitive of processes.
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I'm not comparing myself to an astronaut those guys and gals are a whole other breed, but anyone who has worked in the food service industry and still goes out to eat Could be said to be in some way almost as brave
 
What did I miss??
 
Mark_UK said:
What did I miss??
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SpaceX attempted to launch a crew into space for docking at the ISS. That launch was scheduled for this afternoon but cancelled due to weather. There are two more windows of opportunity for launch; this Saturday and Sunday. Especially relevant because the last manned space flight originating from USA was in 2011.
 
Bummer, just fast forwarding through the pre launch stuff that I had dvr’d to see it had been scrubbed.
 
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YukonLiving said:
SpaceX attempted to launch a crew into space for docking at the ISS. That launch was scheduled for this afternoon but cancelled due to weather. There are two more windows of opportunity for launch; this Saturday and Sunday. Especially relevant because the last manned space flight originating from USA was in 2011.
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2011 was the last shuttle launch? That long ago? Damn!!! Time really is flying!
 
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